P. A. Leous
Poor oral hygiene, high prevalence of periodontal disease, and lack of dental service are current feature of oral health among people living in areas of Belarus contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Her state of oral health was the least of the worries of the population who found themselves in a radioactive zone after the Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster in 1986. In fact, the first teams of dentists from the Minsk Medical Institute who arrived at strictly controlled areas of Belarus several days after the accident had no evidence of any specific oral health problems among the population. Furthermore, through lack of information, the dental scientists had little interest in the after - effects on oral health, although some studies on the effect of low radiation on oral and dental structures were conducted under laboratory conditions at the Paedodontics and Oral Surgery Departments. Published in local journals, these studies showed different kinds of pathological effect to the jaw bones and soft oral tissues.
Since then there has been growing concern about the sharp increase in the incidence of thyroud cancer observed among children in contaminated areas of Belarus. Between 1986 and 1991, 131 cases were diagnosed compared with only seven cases over the same period of time before the accident. More than 50 % of these cancers were found in Gomel Oblast. In 1992, 67 cases were reported. A considerable growth in thyroud disorders such as autoimmune thyroiditis has also been reported among children in contaminated areas.
Systematic continuous studies of the oral health status in affected areas were revived in 1990 - 91. Their main purpose was to assess oral health in different age groups of the population living in strictly controlled zones. An oral health project, which started late in 1992 as part of the International Programme on the Health effects of the Chemobyl Accident, aims to improve diagnostic and curative services in oral health in contaminated areas of Belarus. Samples of tooth enamel collected will be used for individual dosimetry by electron spin resonance spectrometry.
WHO' s standard oral health survey methods were used for oral examinations which highlighted several risk factors or cofactors of oral disease. For dental caries. salivary function, oral hygiene, fluoride intake and other dietary components came under study and, for periodontal disease, the immune status and oral hygiene. About 5000 people of all age groups underwent examination.
Poor oral hygiene
There was an obvious deterioration in the oral health status of the surveyed population. The latest data showed moderate to high levels of dental caries, a high level of periodontal disease, and an increasing proportion of oral mucosal diseases. The average number of decayed, missing, or filled (DMF) teeth varied from 4.6 in 15 year - old children to 19. 6 in the over65 - year - old age group. Oral hygiene was poor. The food patterns have changed towards more refined products and sweets, which are delivered from safe neighbouring regions and from abroad.
Several international studies have shown that the intake of radionuclides in foodstaffs is a growing risk factor. From 3923 samples of different types of food measured in the Gomel Oblast，英语论文网站，英语论文范文 |
